Vehicle door handle

Abstract

A vehicle door handle includes a handle main body, a handle cover assembled to the handle main body by means of a first assembly portion and a second assembly portion, and the second assembly portion including: a first engagement portion having a recessed portion and a protruding portion; and a second engagement portion provided at the other of the handle main body and the handle cover and having a hook portion hooking over the first engagement portion, wherein, the handle cover engages the handle main body by rotating at least either one of the handle cover and the handle main body while the second engagement portion hooks over the first engagement portion in a manner where a top end of the hook portion of the second engagement portion is positioned within the recessed portion of the first engagement portion.

1. A vehicle door handle attached to an outer panel of a vehicle door and operated to open and close the vehicle door comprising:
 a handle main body possessing opposite ends spaced apart in a lengthwise direction; 
 a handle cover assembled to the handle main body by a first assembly portion and a second assembly portion, the handle cover possessing opposite ends spaced apart in the lengthwise direction; 
 the first assembly portion used for tightening the handle cover to the handle main body; 
 the second assembly portion used for engaging the handle cover with the handle main body, 
 both assembly portions mounted above the outer surface of the outer panel; 
 the second assembly portion including: 
 a first engagement portion provided at one of the handle main body and the handle cover and having: a recessed portion opening in the lengthwise direction of the vehicle door handle; and a protruding portion protruding in the lengthwise direction of the vehicle door handle and positioned adjacent the recessed portion in the lengthwise direction; and 
 a second engagement portion provided at the other of the handle main body and the handle cover and having a hook portion hooking over the first engagement portion, wherein, the handle cover is assembled to the handle main body by rotating at least either one of the handle cover and the handle main body about an axis perpendicular to the lengthwise direction, while the second engagement portion hooks over the first engagement portion, in a manner where a top end of the hook portion of the second engagement portion is positioned within the recessed portion of the first engagement portion; 
 the handle main body comprising a bottom plate extending between opposite end portions of the handle main body, a main body first side wall upstanding from the bottom plate and extending between the opposite end portions of the handle main body, and a main body second side wall upstanding from the bottom plate and extending between the opposite end portions of the handle main body, the main body first and second side walls each possessing an outer surface; 
 the cover comprising a top plate, a cover first side wall extending from the top plate and possessing an inner surface, and a cover second side wall extending from the top plate and possessing an inner surface; and 
 the cover being assembled to the handle main body so that the top plate faces the bottom plate and is positioned in covering relation to the bottom plate, the inner surface of the cover first side wall faces the outer surface of the main body first side wall so that the cover first side wall covers the main body first side wall, and the inner surface of the cover second side wall faces the outer surface of the main body second side wall so that the cover second side wall covers the main body second side wall; 
 wherein 
 the first engagement portion includes: 
 a first contact surface formed on the protruding portion; 
 a second contact surface formed so as to be orthogonal to the first contact surface; and 
 a third contact surface formed so as to be orthogonal to the first contact surface and provided at an opposite side of the second contact surface relative to the recessed portion, and 
 the second engagement portion includes a first opposite surface, a second opposite surface; and a third opposite surface, and while the second engagement portion is engaged with the first engagement portion, the first contact surface contacts the first opposite surface, the second contact surface contacts the second opposite surface, and the third contact surface contacts the third opposite surface, so that, while the handle cover is assembled to the handle main body, a position of the handle cover relative to the handle main body is regulated. 
 
     
     
       2. The vehicle door handle according to  claim 1 , wherein a housing portion is formed at one of the handle main body and the handle cover in order to house an electronic part. 
     
     
       3. The vehicle door handle according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle main body and the handle cover are made of resin. 
     
     
       4. The vehicle door handle according to  claim 2 , wherein the handle main body and the handle cover are made of resin. 
     
     
       5. The vehicle door handle according to  claim 1 , wherein a rib is formed at the first engagement portion on an opposite side of the protruding portion in order to reinforce the first engagement portion. 
     
     
       6. A vehicle door handle attached to an outer panel of a vehicle door and operated to open and close the vehicle door comprising:
 a handle main body possessing opposite ends spaced apart in a lengthwise direction; 
 a handle cover assembled to the handle main body by a first assembly portion and a second assembly portion, the handle cover possessing opposite ends spaced apart in the lengthwise direction; 
 the handle main body comprising an accommodating portion covered by the cover, the accommodating portion accommodating at least one of a sensing antenna which senses a person and a lock-unlock switch which is operable to lock and unlock the vehicle door; 
 the first assembly portion used for tightening the handle cover to the handle main body; 
 the second assembly portion used for engaging the handle cover with the handle main body, 
 both assembly portions mounted above the outer surface of the outer panel; the second assembly portion including: 
 a first engagement portion provided at one of the handle main body and the handle cover and having: a recessed portion opening in the lengthwise direction of the vehicle door handle; and a protruding portion protruding in the lengthwise direction of the vehicle door handle and positioned adjacent the recessed portion in the lengthwise direction; and 
 a second engagement portion provided at the other of the handle main body and the handle cover and having a hook portion hooking over the first engagement portion, 
 wherein, the handle cover is assembled to the handle main body by rotating the handle cover about an axis perpendicular to the lengthwise direction relative to the handle main body, while the second engagement portion hooks over the first engagement portion, in a manner where a top end of the hook portion of the second engagement portion is positioned within the recessed portion of the first engagement portion; 
 wherein 
 the first engagement portion includes: 
 a first contact surface formed on the protruding portion; 
 a second contact surface formed so as to be orthogonal to the first contact surface; and 
 a third contact surface formed so as to be orthogonal to the first contact surface and provided at an opposite side of the second contact surface relative to the recessed portion, and 
 the second engagement portion includes a first opposite surface, a second opposite surface; and a third opposite surface, and while the second engagement portion is engaged with the first engagement portion, the first contact surface contacts the first opposite surface, the second contact surface contacts the second opposite surface, and the third contact surface contacts the third opposite surface, so that, while the handle cover is assembled to the handle main body, a position of the handle cover relative to the handle main body is regulated. 
 
     
     
       7. The vehicle door handle according to  claim 6 , wherein the accommodation portion accommodates both the sensing antenna and the lock-unlock switch which are both connected to a harness also accommodated in the accommodation portion. 
     
     
       8. The vehicle door handle according to  claim 6 , wherein the first assembly portion comprises a screw-receiving portion provided at one of the handle cover and the handle main body, and a screw hole provided at the other of the handle cover and the handle main body, and further comprising a screw which is received in the screw-receiving portion and the screw hole so that the handle cover and the handle main body are tightened together by rotating the screw. 
     
     
       9. The vehicle door handle according to  claim 6 , wherein the accommodation portion accommodates the lock-unlock switch, and the handle cover is provided with a through hole at which the lock-unlock switch is exposed to permit operation of the lock-unlock switch by way of the through hole. 
     
     
       10. The vehicle door handle according to  claim 1 , wherein the first assembly portion comprises a screw-receiving portion provided at one of the handle cover and the handle main body, and a screw hole provided at the other of the handle cover and the handle main body, and further comprising a screw which is received in the screw-receiving portion and the screw hole so that the handle cover and the handle main body are tightened together by rotation of the screw. 
     
     
       11. The vehicle door handle according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle main body accommodates an lock-unlock switch, and the handle cover is provided with a through hole at which the lock-unlock switch is exposed to permit operation of the lock-unlock switch by way of the through hole. 
     
     
       12. A vehicle door handle attached to an outer panel of a vehicle door and operated to open and close the vehicle door comprising:
 a handle main body possessing opposite ends spaced apart in a lengthwise direction; 
 a handle cover assembled to the handle main body by a first assembly portion and a screw, the handle cover possessing opposite ends spaced apart in the lengthwise direction; 
 one of the handle main body and the handle cover being provided with a screw-receiving portion and the other of the handle main body and the handle cover being provided with a screw hole, the screw being received in both the screw hole and the screw-receiving portion to tighten the handle cover and the handle main body to each other by turning the screw; 
 the assembly portion effecting engagement between the handle cover with the handle main body, 
 both assembly portions mounted above the outer surface of the outer panel; the second assembly portion including: 
 a first engagement portion provided at one of the handle main body and the handle cover and having: a recessed portion opening in the lengthwise direction of the vehicle door handle; and a protruding portion protruding in the lengthwise direction of the vehicle door handle and positioned adjacent the recessed portion in the lengthwise direction; and 
 a second engagement portion provided at the other of the handle main body and the handle cover and having a hook portion hooking over the first engagement portion, 
 wherein, the handle cover is assembled to the handle main body by rotating at least either one of the handle cover and the handle main body about an axis perpendicular to the lengthwise direction, while the second engagement portion hooks over the first engagement portion, in a manner where a top end of the hook portion of the second engagement portion is positioned within the recessed portion of the first engagement portion; 
 wherein 
 the first engagement portion includes: 
 a first contact surface formed on the protruding portion; 
 a second contact surface formed so as to be orthogonal to the first contact surface; and 
 a third contact surface formed so as to be orthogonal to the first contact surface and provided at an opposite side of the second contact surface relative to the recessed portion, and 
 the second engagement portion includes a first opposite surface, a second opposite surface; and a third opposite surface, and while the second engagement portion is engaged with the first engagement portion, the first contact surface contacts the first opposite surface, the second contact surface contacts the second opposite surface, and the third contact surface contacts the third opposite surface, so that, while the handle cover is assembled to the handle main body, a position of the handle cover relative to the handle main body is regulated. 
 
     
     
       13. The vehicle door handle according to  claim 12 , wherein the handle main body includes an accommodation portion accommodating an electronic part, the accommodation portion being covered by the handle cover. 
     
     
       14. The vehicle door handle according to  claim 12 , wherein the handle main body possesses spaced apart side walls which are each covered by a respective side wall of the handle cover. 
     
     
       15. The vehicle door handle according to  claim 12 , wherein the vehicle door handle comprised of both the handle main body and the handle cover is configured to be gripped by a person when the vehicle door is opened.